


TLC (Tender Loving Care)

by lawgoddess



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-24
Updated: 2013-05-24
Packaged: 2017-12-12 21:06:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/816066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawgoddess/pseuds/lawgoddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern a/u. Merlin has dental surgery and Arthur takes care of him.</p>
<p>Warnings: mention of hypodermics, oral surgery and aftereffects</p>
            </blockquote>





	TLC (Tender Loving Care)

**TLC (Tender Loving Care)**

Arthur kept one arm around Merlin as he inserted the key into the door of their flat. “Just a few more steps, darling,” he promised his partner, who was even whiter than his usual Casper the Friendly Ghost look.

Merlin had been a trouper for his dental surgery, even though he was needle-phobic and fainted at the thought of blood. The oral surgeon had assured him that having all four wisdom teeth pulled at once was the way to go, because he’d only have a few days of recovery, and pain on both sides of the face didn’t feel all that much worse than pain on one side. Although she hadn’t actually used the word “pain”, she’d used the word “discomfort.” 

“Like that makes a difference, you sadist,” Merlin had muttered in the consultation room, and Arthur had subtly kicked him on the side of his ankle.

Merlin hated dentists. He hated surgery. And he hated throwing up.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t reacted well to the anesthesia, and there had been two incidents on the way home, once when he wrenched the door open and puked into the street when Arthur was stopped at a light, and once in the parking garage.

Arthur tried to sound cheerful, but he was worried. Merlin was shaking and still a bit high from the anesthesia, and he looked like he was about to keel over.

He’d wanted to tuck Merlin into bed, but as soon as Merlin saw the long couch in the front room he groaned and said, “Can I just lie down on the couch?”

Arthur was dubious, but he was never able to say no to Merlin, so he sat him down and helped him get his jacket and shoes off. He went in the bedroom and got a bed pillow and a throw, and tucked Merlin into the couch, sitting next to him and stroking his hair until he fell asleep. 

Merlin woke up a couple of hours later, obviously in pain, although he denied it. Arthur got him an ice pack for his face and gave him one of the lovely prescription pain pills the doctor had provided, and went into the kitchen to make some tea.

Once the tea was steeping, he came back to Merlin and said, “C’mon, let’s get you in bed, sad panda.” He walked his wasted-looking love into the bedroom and helped him change into sweat pants and his softest, rattiest looking old t-shirt.

They made a sort of a cocoon, with six pillows and their softest blankets. Merlin was looking a little better, so Arthur moved into the ritual they always did when Merlin was sick or having a bad day.

He reached for Merlin’s favorite book from the bedside table and began reading, one hand stroking Merlin’s back as he voiced the beloved words.

_When he was nearly thirteen my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow._

So the afternoon passed, with Arthur feeding Merlin toast fingers and tea, and the play of golden autumn light on their bedroom wall, and Harper Lee’s glorious language.

And Merlin knew that he was loved.


End file.
